2 cops killed, 10 CRPF men injured in twin pre-dawn attacks

Two policemen were killed and 12 forces personnel, including 10 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), were injured as militants struck at separate places during the holy night of Shab-i-Qadr in south Kashmir.
A police spokesman said a group of militants attacked police personnel, guarding New Court Complex at Pulwama at 03:30 hrs on Tuesday when people were busy in special prayers on the occasion of Shab-i-Qadr across the Kashmir valley.
The police personnel also retaliated and in the exchange of fire three police personnel were injured.
Last year during this holy night a Deputy Superintendent of Police (Dy SP) Mohammad Ayub Pandith was lynched by a violent mob near historic Jamia Masjid when he was on duty in civic.
However, when the police personnel were being shifted to hospital there was stone pelting in the area, he said adding the injured were finally shifted to hospital where SgCt Ghulam Rasool and SgCt Ghulam Hassan, residents of north Kashmir, were declared brought dead. The condition of another injured constable was stable and he was operated upon by the doctors.
Official sources said the militants later took away two weapons of police personnel before escaping from the area under the cover of darkness.
A senior police officer confirming the incident said it is suspected the militants of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) are responsible for the attack on policemen. We have identified stone pelters on security forces after the attack, he said.
At least ten CRPF personnel were injured when militants hurled a hand grenade towards a patrol party on law and order duty at Janglat Mandi in Anantnag town in the wee hours on Tuesday.
Though the area was immediately cordoned off but the militants managed to escape under the cover of darkness.
The sound of the blast, heard in the entire town, caused panic as people were busy offering special prayers in mosque on the occasion of Shab-i-Qadr.
A security force personnel was injured when militants hurled a hand grenade followed by firing towards a camp at Verinag in Anantnag district last night. A soldeir identified as Pintu Sharma was admitted to hospital, they said adding security forces also retaliated but the militants managed to escape.
Meanwhile, militant outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad has claimed the grenade attack on a CRPF party in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district saying that ten soldiers were injured.
JeM spokesperson in a statement issued to GNS said it carried out the attack at Anantnag’s Janglaat Mandi early morning when the CRPF party was patrolling in the area.
In the attack, the Jaish claimed to have killed two CRPF men and injuring ten others.